Love's the Only House: A Ryara Fic
by babydontbreakmyheartlikethis18
Summary: Hi. My name is Liana. But my dad calls me Li-Li. I love to sing. But anyways, that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about my dad's new girlfriend, Kara. Well, they say they're just friends, but I don't know how long that'll last. She
1. I'm Trying

Date: July 7, 2009.

Liana's Diary

Today, I was sitting on my couch. Bored out my mind. And since it's LA, it's damn hot. All of the windows and the front door were open. So I decide to briefly entertain myself. I walk over to my acoustic piano and start to play my current favorite song. Taking Chances. And yes of course, Kara wrote it. Which is okay, but I try to ignore the fact. My dad always tells me to be nice to her, but sometimes it's freakin' hard. And also, my dad says I'm not allowed to cuss people off anywhere. But I'm bending the rules by cussing, just not at people. Hey, I live in one of the worst places to live on the continent, so I've been cussed of to many times to count. But anyways, I get really into my song and start belting out the high notes.

_But what do you say to takin' chances?_

_What do you say to jumpin' off the edge?_

People tell me I'm kinda good, but comepletly disagree. Compared to someone like my hero, Martina McBride, I suck. If you don't know her she's my favorite country singer. My favrite song from her is either Anyway, or Independence Day. Wow, I'm really off track. So now I hear a car door shut. I think, no dad can't be home yet. Then I hear the sound of _**her**_flip-flops dragging on the ground. I can tell she's listening to me. Shit. I run around shutting the top of the piano and grab my cd player. I have an idea. I stick a blank cassette in the slot and press pause. This will work. Kara just now walked in the back door. Dad said: "Don't ever worry about knocking, Kara. Just come on in. Normally someone is home.". Dad, I barely know this woman. I really don't want her just barging into my home when you're not around.

"Hey, Li-Li!" Don't call me Li-Li, Kara. Only dad can do that.

"Hi." I said with absouloutly no ethusiasam in my voice.

"Who was singing in here?" She asked, pointing at the piano. Crap, I forgot about the sheet music I was using.

"Just my friend. We recorded her with an old cassette recorder. She left her sheet music here." That was good. Real good. I didn't even crack a smile. In case you don't know, I'm a really bad liar.

"Oh, she's great! And you should tell her I said that." WHAT? Kara DioGuardi just said that **I** was a good singer! I thought she had ears and a brain! Well, that's just another thing on the _"Reasons to Hate Kara DioGuardi List." _When she leaves I'll scrible down:

_She doesn't have a brain._

"So, are you here alone?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna like, go somewhere and do something? You look pretty bored." There's something I don't know. She never asks me to do stuff with her.

"Is there something I don't know going on here?"

"No, not that I know of." Maybe she's just trying to be nicer. If she tries, I'll try. "So?" She continued.

"Yeah I'd love to go somewhere!" I smiled with a little more enthusiasm than before. Maybe I like her more after this. I don't really know.


	2. Red Dirt Road

Date: July 7, 2009

Liana's Diary

Alright, so now Kara and I are in the car. She's mumbling along to "Right Round" By Flo Rida. I have to admit, so am I. I would much rather listen to Martina, but this will do. Considering her being a famous songwriter, she has a pretty crappy car. We have all of the windows rolled down and we're on a highway, so if I belted out Taking Chances, she wouldn't be able to hear me. Which wouldn't be good, from her perspective. She says she's taking me to a surprise place, but she told me to put my swinsuit on. I can see her skinny bikini strap under her tank top. So, I think obviously that we're going to a pool.

"You're quiet. Is something wrong?" She asked looking over at me.  
"No, I'm fine." I mumbled.  
"Alright." she emphisized looking back at the road.  
After a few minutes, I began. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going?"  
"Of course not! I told you, it's a surprise."  
"Okay then." I murmured

Later, we pulled in a parking lot. Chenoweth Swimming Pool. I was right. Ha. I love being right. Wait. What the heck is she doing. Kara shuts the car down and gets out. Okay, I'm _**not**_ going to follow her. She turns to the back seat, opens the door and reaches in. All I see back their is her handbag. But then she reaches in and grabs her phone. It was only then that it vibrated in her hands. She flipped her hair back and put it up to her ear.  
"Hello?"

"Oh, hey babe!" Great. My dad.

"Yeah she's with me."

"Sure you can talk to her."  
"Liana, you dad wants to talk to you." No, dip Sherlock.  
"'Kay. Hey dad."  
"Hey Li!"  
"What's up?"  
"The usual... the ceiling. So, do you have any idea where you're going?"  
"No. Do you?"  
"No, sweetheart. I just figured out that you were K." K. What a stupid pet name.  
"Oh."  
"Are you being nice to her." What do you think? I'm letting my dad's "friend" take me somewhere.  
"Yes, dad. I am."  
"Okay, well then... have fun!"  
"Sure, I guess."  
"Where's my smile?"  
"Right here." I smiled very unethusiastically.  
"Have fun, baby girl."  
"Okay. Bye, dad." I hung up. "Here." I gave the phone back to Kara.  
"Ready to go?"  
"Yeah, I guess it depends on where you're taking me."  
"You're not going to find out until we get there."  
"Okay." she got back in the car. Kara kept turning on random roads for what seem an hour. Until she turned on the _**Red Dirt Road**_.


	3. Muddy Water Part 1

I know Kara doesn't have a sister and another brother, but now she does! LOL

Still July7, 2009

Liana's diary.

You know the expression "eat my dust!"? Yeah, well now it's literal. The radio is getting all fuzzy, the dust tasts like crap and I swear we're in Pennsylvania. I put my chin on the top of my knees and sigh. The wind coming in the car is blowing my long, brunette lowlighted blond hair in my face. Yes, I am the only person in my family with blond hair. My dad always jokes that they switched babies in the hospital because I like country music, I'm blond, and can play an instrument. But anyways, Kara just hit a bump and it scared the living shit out of me so I screamed. She's still laughing really hard. Her laugh is _really_ annoying. She eventually stopped as we pulled in a gravel driveway. I see a a man and a woman sharing what looks like an ice cream cone. Oh, God. "C'mon," She mumbles as she gets out of the car. We walk up the driveway as she looks at the man and gives him a hug. Perv.

"Liana, I would like you to meet my brother, John, and his financee, Nicole." They both shook my hand. Nicole was blond! Yay! Someone else in this world!

" Hi.'' I smile.

Kara looks up at her brother and said, "This is my boyfriend, Ryan's daughter." Yep, I told you the "friends" thing wouldn't last very long. "So you said you were taking us somewhere wet." Great. I'm not a person for wet. I don't even like getting in the shower. I guess I knew we were going somewhere that would have some sort of liquid with it but still.

"Ready to go, bud?" Kara said

"Huh? Yeah." I must have missed a lot in my daydream.

"Alright then!" We started walking towards what must have been Johns truck.

"You girls wanna ride in the back?" What's my choice? It's either the bed of the truck or Kara's lap.

"Sure." Nicole said.

"Where are we going?" I asked

"The lake." John said. The lake? I'm not a person for the outdoors. A lake? God, I'm really disliking Kara. Deffinatly not going to like her more after this. I might _hate _her more.

We we're going 90 mile an hour down the dirt road till we get to this little lake or pond thing whatever you want to call it. There's other people down there. Nice. And I choose to were my one and only string bikini. "The drunk 27 year old, she's a red head, yeah that's my sister, Tiffanie. And the tall, brunette guy, blue eyes that is my older brother, Scott." She mumbled in my ear. I laughed at the drunk 27 year old part. We pull in this little clearing that had cars in it, that must have been Kara's famillies'. Someday these people could possibly be my family, I thought. I shuddered at that.

John helped me out of the bed in his truck and we all headed down to that frickin' _**Muddy Water. **_


	4. Muddy Water Pt 2

Date: July 7, 2009. 4:00 pm

Liana's diary

The water was freezing! Oh my God! My feet will freeze off and I'll just have stubs! "You've got to be kidding me." I mumbled to Kara. Hating her 110% now. GRRRRRRRRR! All of these drunk people are just sitting here in these lawn chairs that are almost being knocked down in the current. I was really mad so I decided to show off a little bit. I threw off the tank top I was wearing. I'm only 14 but I have a really curvy figure. Kara gives me the death stare. I just ignore her. Hey, it's not like she's never shown her self publicly half-naked. She really is beautiful, though. I'm half as pretty as she is. Woah, woah, woah. Wait. I'm being complimentary of her. That's not part of Operation: Be a Bitch to Kara Dioguardi. I sighed at this thought. I follow her to the group of people that must have been her sister and brothers' friends. "Kara!" Her drunk sister Tiffanie greets her happily. "Tiff!" Kara hugs her little sister. She walks over to who must have been her older brother Scott. "Scott."

"What's up, little sis?" Oh, God.

"Nothin' much. You?" She hugged him, too. She didn't really hug , Nicole, Kara and I all sat down in spare lawn chairs.  
"Beer, Kar?" A heavyset guy asked her.

"Sure." He chucked a can of bud lite at her. "Thanks, Domey." Domey. An odd name. It's probably a nickname.

"Everybody, this is my boyfriend's daughter, Liana." No. No. N-n-n-n-n-n-o, Kara. Don't do this to me.

"Liana, this is... everyone." All in unison everyone said hi.

I blushed. "Hey,"

The subject quickly changed. "Who brought the guitar?" Kara opened her beer.

"Gerry did!" Tiffanie exclaimed.

"Who's first?" a blond woman asked. Everybody including myself, looked at Kara.

"No." She demanded. "You should've heard Li's best friend! She was utterly amazing for a ninth grader!" That was ME! ME she thought was good. She paused. "You wanna take a whack at it, Li?"

First of all, "Absouloutly not!" Second of all, what did I say about Li?

"C'mon, Liana." She came down to my height. "They're a bunch of drunk people. They won't remember it tomorrow."

I gave in. "Alright. But _I_ play."


	5. Anyway

Liana's Diary

Everyone arouse in applause and the guitar was passed to me. I felt the pressure of Kara's eye's on me. I start playing the chords to Anyway. 

F, F4, F, F4...

_You can spend your whole life buildin'  
Somethin' from nothin'  
One storm can come and blow it all away;  
Build it anyway.  
_

Kara was blown away. She looked like she was going to pass out. Maybe she would. Hopefully. After what seemed like forever of this, I got to the high notes. 

_I do it anyway! Yea, Yeah!  
I sing,  
I dream,  
I love,  
Anyway._

Kara's hand was over her mouth, and she looked like she was going to cry. For some reason, I just might erase something off of the hate list because of it. "It was you who was singing." she whipered from behind her hand. Everyone laughed at the look on her face and the reaction she had. Even myself. "It wasn't your friend, it was you."  
"Yeah. It was. I honestly can't believe you fell for it. I'm a horribly liar."  
"Oh, my God." she said, still shocked. I cotinued to giggle.  
"Your talented, girly." I heard Tiffanie say.  
"Thank you."  
Kara then screamed and we all looked back at her. My dad had picked her up around the waist and was swinging her around. "Ryan! Stop it! You idiot!" she screamed. He threw her in the water. "You asked for it." Dad shrugged. I sighed.  
Kara came up out of the 5 foot deep water and spit out the remaining water in her mouth. "You wanna hug?" She asked.  
"That's not nessesary."  
"Yeah. It is." She ran up to my dad and tightly embraced him. She wrapped her legs around his hips. I sighed again. Everyone went back to talking about my little performance. I continued to watch my dad and Kara splashing in the water. The blond woman came over to me. "You don't really like the idea of Kara with your dad, do you?"  
"No."  
"Do you think your dad is happy with her?"  
"Yeah. I haven't seen him this happy since my mother was around."  
"When did your mother..." I really don't like to talk about it.  
"She left my dad when I was just 14 months old. I've once since then. Ever since it's just been me and my dad. I guess I'm just not used to having another female around all the time. It's different, ya know?"  
"Yeah. I'm Katherine, by the way."  
"Hi, Katherine. I'm Liana." This girl is actually very nice.  
"I used to babysit Kara when she was a toddler." Awwww, Kara as a toddler! If I had pictures I would hold it to her for the rest of her life.  
Dad walked over to me with his hand on Kara's shoulder. "Li-Li, I'm so sorry that I didn't come over and say hi."  
"No, it's totally okay." he tried to hug me. "No, dad. Uh-uh."  
"Do you want me to throw you in the water, too?"  
"Either way I get wet."  
"If I throw you in the water, you get soaked... like Kara."  
"I'll settled for a hug." He hugged me and then icked me u and threw me in the water. He. Will. Pay.


	6. How Far

"Seriously, dad. I was trying _not_ to get wet!"  
"Ohhh, I'm sorry." He said in a sarcastic way.  
"Payback's a bitch." I said. I made a mistake. Dad would never let me say that. Shoot!  
"Liana Elizabeth Seacrest!" He exclaimed. "You know you're not allowed to say that!" Kara looked like she was going to die laughing.  
"Sorry." I mumbled.  
"Ryan, she's 14. She should be allowed to say things like that." Yeah go Kara! Wait. Shit! I'm doing it again.  
"Not in my family." He stated strongly.  
The silence was piercing. Kara finally spoke up. "Let's go sit down."  
We all went to the little group. "Kara, it's your turn!" Tiffanie said just a little more tipsy than before. Kara sat down on daddy's lap  
"Oh, God no!" Kara exclaimed.  
"C'mon!" Someone shouted.  
"Yeah!" Was another shout.  
"Alright, alright!" she gave in. "Give me the frickin' instrument." The guitar was passed to her. "Okay then, what should I sing?"  
"One of your songs!"  
"Uhhmmmm, okay."

_Is it obvious to you,  
When you walk into a room,  
Your face is all I see?  
_

_And my heart races so fast,  
I never new a rush to feel like that,  
Everytime you're touching me._

She's so much better than I am. In so many ways. She's prettier than I am, a way better singer. What else?

_I get lost inside your stare  
Lost when you're not there  
Everything I have dosen't mean a thing  
If it's without you.  
_

_If it's a dream, don't wake me up.  
I'll scream if this is not love.  
If bein lost means never knowing how it feels without you,  
I wanna stay lost forever.  
_

_If bein lost means I'll never have to be with out you,  
I wanna stay lost forever.  
With you._

I knew who she was singing this song to. Didn't we all? She finished that one and passed the instrument on... To _me. _I shook my head. "For your dad, Li."  
"Li-Li?"  
"Uhhhhmmmm, yeah?" I'm not sure if he knows I sing.  
"You were... singing?"  
I inhaled. "Yeah." Then I exhaled.  
"Really? Wow." He was seriously surpised.  
"Sing a different song, Liana!" A girl about ten or eleven said.  
"Okay." Uhhhhhmmmm, I've got it! 

_There's a boat; I could sail away.  
There's the sky; I could catch a plane.  
There's a train, there's the tracks,  
I could leave and I could choose to not come back  
Oh, never come back  
_

_There you are, giving up the fight  
Here I am, begging you to try.  
Talk to me, let me in  
But you just put your wall back up again  
Oh, when's it gonna end?  
_

_**How far...**_

Kara was astounded when I hit the E5 on "far". Luckily, I got through the whole chorus without cracking and the rest of the song too. I was glad when I got to the last two lines.

_Yeah, I'm gonna walk away,  
and it's up to you to say: How Far._

How far are you going with my father, Kara. I want to know. Will this ever be a life time thing, Kara? Will you someday participate in holy matrimoney with him? 'Cause I know he loves you that much. You should know that too.


	7. Love Is A Beautiful Thing

_Love Is A Beautiful Thing_

_*****A year and a half later**_

Kara and Dad are getting married today. And what Kara didn't know back then, two July's ago, was that she was already 3 months pregnant. So it's my little sister, Maddy's 1st, Kara's 40th and my 16th birthday today, too. December 9. Dad promised me he would take me to get my driver's license after they got back from their honeymoon.

Kara and I came out to be friends. More like best friends. She's somebody I can talk to about anything, and she's always there. Speaking of Kara, my God, I've never seen any bride ever look so stunning! And for little Maddy, she looks so adorable! Tiff (who is not drunk anymore, but I have a feeling she might be tonight!), is the maid of honor. Meredyth, (dad's sister) is a bridesmaid, I'm a bridesmaid, Paula's a bridesmaid, Karas longtime friend and my new friend, Katherine and John's girlfriend Nicole (I heard he's gonna pop the question tonight!) is bridesmaid. Thats it for Kara's side. Randy's best man, John, Simon, Mitch Allan (Kara insisted), Domey, Kara's long time friend, (I figured out his first name is Bill!) and her older brother are all groomsmen. Oh, and guess whos the wedding singer? You got it right, ME! Kara told me that if I sang, maybe one of her A&R friends would recignize my talent and sign me, becuase shes not allowed to.

She looked so scared. Kara was shaking like a dog. I knew she loved my father more than anything, though. If I thought either of them didn't love each other the way they do, I don't think I would have let them do this. I don't think dad can take the love of life walking out on him. Not again.

It's now time for us to walk down the isle. Maddy's first, since she's the flowergirl. Dad had to stand and the end of the isle to coax her down. She's not walking yet, so she like power-crawled. The guests gave a big "awwww" and Kara comepletely lost it. Makeup and tears were running down her face. We all ran over and tried to calm her down. Then I heard that I was supposed to go, so I kissed her head and almost tripped over my dress to walk out the door. That made her laugh. I walked slowly down and when I got closer to the end, I winked at my dad. I did our little 'I love you' thing that we have done since I was little. You point to your eye and then your heart and then the opposite person. We winked at each other again. I walked over, took my little sister from him and walked over to the pew where the bridesmaids were supposed to sit. Everyone else came down, and now it was Kara's turn. I saw her, Mr. DioGuardi and her smeared makeup coming down the isle. The way she looked at my father, and the way he looked at her was irreplaceable.

The wedding went on peacefully. It was now my job to go up and sing. I was really nervous, but when I walked by Kara, she was the nurturing person we all knew her to be and said, "Go get em', girl. You'll do fine." She rubbed my back. I knew that I had to do more than fine, I had to do great. There were at least twenty talent scouts in the room. So I walked up to the altar and the instrumental started. Then I started:

_Looks like everybody's here_.  
_Had to put some folding chairs  
in the vestibule.  
Yeah, it's gettin full._

Even old Aunt Ruby came,  
her first time on an airplane,  
it's her sister's girl,  
she wouldn't miss it for the world.  
And all them kids jumpin in the pews,  
And Mr. Charlie in his lime green suit  
is a handsome man.  
remarks Widow Calahan.  
Uncle Joe and Uncle Jake  
haven't spoken since '98,  
just said hello.  
It's a good day to let it go.

So let the angels gather,  
let the music play.  
Let the preacher get to preachin  
all the 'do you takes?_  
__Love is a beautiful thing.  
Throw the rice in the air,  
let the church bells ring.  
Tie the cans to the back of that limosine.  
Love is a beautiful thing._

Daddy's waitin with the bride.  
As she helps him with his tie  
she sees a tear.  
He says, 'Man it's hot in here.'  
He hugs his little girl and asks,  
'How did you grow up so fast?  
God I wish your mama could be here for this.  
And everybody stands and smiles  
as she comes walkin down the aisle  
in her mama's gown.  
And daddy breaks on down.  
Gran and Gramps in the second row,  
stood right there 50 years ago

and said their vows.  
Yeah, I guess lets work it out

So let the angels gather,  
let the music play.  
Let the preacher get to preachin  
all the 'do you takes?'  
Love is a beautiful thing.  
Throw the rice in the air,  
let the church bells ring.  
Tie the cans to the back of that limosine.  
Love is a beautiful thing.

A little table full of gifts,  
catering this covered dish.  
And the wedding band,  
what's on her hand.  
Tommy's teasin Lorelai,  
he pushed her down and made her cry.  
And neither one knows,  
that day will come,

When the angels gather,  
and let the music play.  
And the preacher get to preachin  
all the 'do you takes?'  
Love is a beautiful thing.  
Throw the rice in the air,  
let the church bells ring.  
Tie the cans to the back of that limosine.  
Love...  
Two people in love  
Is a beautiful thing

I was in tears. Kara was in tears. Dad, yes even dad, was on the verge of tears. The outro stopped. Maddy was so cute; she was clapping in the cute little baby way. And then everybody started clapping. I went over to Kara and gave her a hug. "Good job, kiddo." Dad smiled. I smiled back.

We have a family now. No one could break us. Today, it's been about 3 weeks since the wedding, and everything has continued normally. Kara's calling me for dinner now, so I gotta go. Oh, and by the way, everyone calls me Li-li now. :) Liana


End file.
